Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Mother-in-Law Relationships: Forgiveness Basics

Forgiveness: everyone has their opinion about it. Although forgiveness is a difficult thing to fathom when you've been hurt, it is also the reality that needs to take place in order for your relationship with your in-law to be restored. Let's talk about some Forgiveness basics:• What is Forgiveness? "Forgiveness is the setting of one's will, the making of a decision (a decree, a decision at the spiritual level) that a release is granted to the offending person or situation."Kylstra• Why Forgiveness? Simply put, God tells us we MUST forgive. We are to forgive those who offended us (Matthew 6:14-15) and if we have offended someone, we need to seek reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24).It is also important to always remember that God's heart is to forgive. I enjoy reading Psalm 103:8-13 because it reminds me that God is abounding in love, always ready to forgive and He removes our sins far away from us. He says He doesn't remember them any more (Isaiah 43:25). God doesn't hold grudges and we shouldn't do it either.If you don't happen to come from a Bible based background, remember that forgiving is releasing. I heard that holding on to unforgiveness is like allowing a bad tenant living in your head rent-free. There's nothing positive about unforgiveness my friend. Soon or later you'll notice the bad fruit of unforgiveness in your life.

We don't always start by forgiving from our heart but we can always make the decision to forgive. It may take time but it is so worth it.God is the true Healer of your heart. Remember that if you find yourself struggling to let go of the things (and people) that hurt you. True healing comes from God, not from some situation you may rehearse over and over in your head.I highly recommend counseling when it comes to working out in-law issues. It is important to see that you can limit your growth process by yourself.I realize this is a big step but the first one that needs to be taken in order to move towards a healthy in-law relationship. I've been there and I know how difficult yet rewarding it is to forgive.Choosing forgiveness is always a good idea. Be sure to find a counselor to help you in your process. I'm a witness that it makes a positive impact in your entire life.

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Cintia Listenbee is a Journalist, Speaker but more importantly, she is the wife of Pastor Zeke Listenbee and the mother of 3 amazing children. This SimplyCintia.com is the bilingual (English/Português) blog where she spreads hope one post at the time. Cintia enjoys running marathons and listening to audio books. She was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To work with Cintia, go to CintiaListenbee.com